Shadow Sculptures Of Shiego Fukuda

Sculptor Shiego Fukuda creates sculptures that are secondary to his art. Fukuda created an apparently abstract three-dimensional object - a metal sculpture named Lunch with a Helmut On. However, the image that Fukuda wants you to see is the shadow of the sculpture - a motorcycle that can be seen when a light is passed through.

In his 1962 novel The Dragon Masters, science fiction writer Jack Vance created an entire culture of sacerdotes, people who lived underground and followed their own introspective philosophy. Each member of the group created a metal sculpture called a tand; the abstract shape was expected to cast a shadow on the wall that represented the Rationale, their ultimate philosophical goal.

In the novel, the sacerdotes created their sculptures out of gold rods and silver wire; Fukuda built his sculpture with 848 welded forks, knives and spoons.

Shadow play theater has a long history in Asia; shadow play with puppets has been popular in Japan since the early 1600's. Shadow play theater emerged in a modern form in Japan some fifty years ago and was often broadcast on television. Read more about Shigeo Fukuda; thanks to bTang reBlog.

Scroll down for more stories in the same category. (Story submitted 12/24/2004)